


Bits & Pieces

by wildcranberry



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: M/M, Puzzleshipping
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-04
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-05-17 23:59:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14841696
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wildcranberry/pseuds/wildcranberry
Summary: A collection of one-shots and ramblings that were long enough to post but too short to be their own story.





	1. Hawaii AU - Yugi/Atem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A strange little Hawaii AU inspired by my vacation. Quick, dirty, & unpolished. 
> 
> (I am not Hawaiian—everything here is based off a few personal experiences I had as a tourist.)

 

The roar of an old-fashioned engine cut off a few moments before the bell tied to the handle of the offbeat convenience store door jingled to announce an arrival. Solomon shuffled out of the back room as a young man tossed his wallet onto the counter and made a beeline for the refrigerators in the back. Atem Sennen returned with a pair of cold colas, setting them down next to his wallet as he leaned back and squinted to make out the pump numbers the kid could never seem to remember even though there were only two of them.

“ _Uh—_ put twenty on pump one for me,” Sennen began as he fished his ringing cell phone out of the pocket of his worn jeans that had been cut off at the knees. He silenced the device with a frown while Solomon rung up his gas at pump two, since that was where Sennen’s truck was actually parked.

“Storm’s coming in,” Solomon commented as he finished punching the oversized buttons on the ancient register.

“Yeah, it’s gonna be a nasty one,” Sennen agreed as he glanced back out at the rapidly darkening clouds filling the skyline. “You get those leaks patched?” Sennen asked, glancing up at the patchwork ceiling above them.

“We’ll find out,” Solomon chuckled as he accepted a few bills from the distracted local. “If we have a decent season I might get that neighbor of yours to do some real work in here.”

“You getting tourists out here?” Atem asked in surprise as he pocketed his change. He eyed the untouched displays along the edge of counter that had gathered a healthy layer of dust.

Solomon snorted. “Only if they’re lost.” Sennen grinned back at him as he swiped his cold drinks off the counter.

“Oh, _Sennen!_ ” Solomon called out as the bell jingled again. “Anzu’s dryer is out again. She wanted you to come look at it before she has guests next week!” Sennen nodded in understanding before he flashed a friendly hand sign and stepped out of the shop.

 

* * *

 

“Is that everything?” Anzu asked as Yugi hefted his small suitcase off the conveyor belt that stood under an awning as the lone baggage claim in the outdoor airport.

“Yeah,” Yugi smiled as he tugged on the bottom of the now sweltering sweater he had worn on the plane. The tropical humidity of the island was truly formidable even on a slightly overcast day. “You didn’t have to come get me you know—I’m sure I could have gotten a cab or something.”

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Anzu grinned as she popped the trunk on her small sedan. “It’s an hour drive, Yugi.”

“Oh,” Yugi replied with a slight flush. He hadn’t realized the little town Anzu lived in was that far beyond the collection of regular resorts he had visited a time or two with his parents when he was younger. He supposed he had never yet seen much of Hawaii that wasn’t the vacation rentals.

Yugi stripped out of his sweater and down to his undershirt while he deposited his luggage into the back of the vehicle. He stuffed the offending garment into his backpack which contained little more than his half finished book and a new bottle of sunscreen he had picked up at the Seattle terminal. Yugi was sure he had forgotten half of what he needed anyway in his usual rush to get out the door on time. He dropped into the passenger seat as Anzu started the car, relieved when the blast of the air conditioning struck his bare arms and face.

“How are you doing?” Anzu asked as they pulled onto the two-lane highway that served as the main road around the side of the island.

“I’m good,” Yugi lied as he reached up to wrap his hand around the handle on the ceiling. “This week was quiet at least.”

Anzu glanced over at him. “You don’t have to lie to me you know,” she said gently. Yugi bit his lip as he glanced out of the window, his eyes darting over the miles of lava rock fields that stretched down to the ocean.

“I know,” Yugi responded quietly as he sighed. “It’s just going to take time.”

Anzu squeezed Yugi’s hand gently as she turned to smile at him. “But you’re here now! We’re going to have lots of fun I promise.” Yugi smiled back at her. He was glad to be in Hawaii, as much as he had dragged his feet to finally visit one of his oldest friends. Anzu had moved to Hawaii after dance school to pursue her dream of being a dancer. She working at resort shows for now but Yugi had no doubt that with her talent she’d be doing much more than that someday. Even though his own spirits were in the dump he was incredibly proud of his friend and he was glad that she had invited him to stay with her for a week.

They drove past the resorts, manicured lawns and artificial gardens slowly giving way to the natural jungle of greenery that decorated the northern part of the island. Condensation hung heavy on towering grasses and other plants that seemed to have thwarted any attempt to cut them back. Rain drizzled here and there around them even though the sun still peaked through every few feet. The road carried them through small towns where rows of brightly colored homes stacked up on blocks housed the local communities. They weren’t extravagant by any means, but carried the kind of lived-in charm that made each village resemble a postcard.

A few minutes later Yugi was hefting his luggage up the narrow wooden staircase that lead to Anzu’s duplex which was situated a stone’s throw from the center of a little town near the northern tip of the island. The stairs were slick and rotten in a few places, forcing Yugi to tread carefully as he climbed. A large green gecko scurried from his perch as they approached. Around them a choir of chirping bugs and singing birds sounded as the wildlife prepared for sunset. It was beautiful.

“I can’t believe you live here,” Yugi breathed in awe as they reached the landing and Anzu unlocked her front door.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” She grinned as she ushered Yugi inside. There wasn’t air conditioning but all of the screened windows had been thrown open to invite a breeze.  

“It’s not much,” Anzu began as she flicked on the solitary pendant light that hung above the dining table in the kitchen / living room combo. The house had clearly been built long before either of them had been born, but it was quaint and well loved. “Probably not what you’re used to but I’m lucky to get a place to myself out here.”

“It’s perfect,” Yugi told her. It really was. He had already known he would be sleeping on the couch but it certainly wasn’t like he needed any more legroom than that. Most importantly, it wasn’t the mental trap of his own apartment at the moment.

“You can put your stuff in here—“ Anzu called as she wandered down the hallway that could only lead to the single bedroom and the bathroom. “I have laundry too if you need it, but the dryer went out again and the guy who was going look at it for me hasn’t come by yet.”

“That’s alright,” Yugi told her as he deposited his backpack onto the couch. “I think I’ll survive.”

 

* * *

 

Yugi woke with a start as a loud clanging noise echoed through the dark apartment. He threw back the quilt he had been sleeping under and jumped to his feet, glancing around wildly. Anzu had showered and gotten ready for work at some miserable hour but had insisted Yugi sleep in and enjoy the peace until she returned. He had done so happily until the unexpected noise had disturbed him. Another series of bangs sounded and Yugi realized with a jolt that someone else must be in the house? _A break in?_ Did Hawaii have crime?

Faint morning light shone through the gaps in the blinds as Yugi crept down the hall. Something was definitely rattling around in the small closet off of the bathroom. A flashing light shone under the door. Yugi glanced around hopelessly in search of anything to defend himself in case of intruder. Naturally, there was nothing. He stood there in his pajama shorts and his oversized tank top hanging off one shoulder before he gathered his wits and reached for the handle to the closet door. Maybe it was just a raccoon.

It was not a raccoon. Hawaii probably didn’t even have raccoons. A man was crouched down near the dryer (which had been turned around entirely) and was squinting at something with a flashlight held in his mouth. He was naked too. Well not naked, but close to it. There was a very attractive man clad in only a pair of shredded denim shorts tinkering away in Anzu’s laundry room. It would have been a pleasant surprise if Yugi’s face hadn’t immediately begun to burn in embarrassment.

“You blew the heating coil again,“ the man mumbled around the flashlight without looking up from his efforts. “It’s going to need—“ he broke off abruptly as he glanced in Yugi’s direction. “You’re not Anzu,” the man observed in apparent surprise as he did a double take and pulled the flashlight out of his mouth.

“She’s at work,” Yugi said while he crossed his arms over his own skimpy outfit in a useless attempt at modesty. The intruder sat up properly, looking far too much like he had just walked out of one of those sexy male magazines— _which_ _Yugi certainly_ ** _never_** _bought_ —to be squatting half-naked on the faded linoleum floor of the tiny laundry room. He was dark and muscular with beautifully tanned skin that stretched over his lean and sculpted body under a head of wild tri-colored hair. The man’s eyes wandered up the bare expense of Yugi’s legs from his position on the floor. Yugi’s mouth was suddenly very dry and his face was suddenly very pink. Was it too late to go back to the couch and pretend he was still asleep? He seriously considered it for a moment.

“You must be the friend from Seattle,” the man said as he straightened to his full height where he stood only a few inches taller than Yugi. His shorts rode low on his hips, emphasizing the deep v-shape that framed the man’s abs and revealing the slightest trail of hair that started below his navel and went... _lower..._ There was no way this man was wearing anything on underneath. “I was supposed to fix this before you turned up.”

Yugi shrugged as the man set his screwdriver down on top of the appliance. “I’m sure it’s fine,” he replied.

“Sorry,” the hot stranger grinned. “Should have knocked—just thought I’d drop by before work.” Yugi couldn’t begin to fathom what kind of a job anyone went to dressed like that. The man rapped his tanned knuckles on the top of the dryer as he pushed it back into the proper place with his hip. “I’ll pick up a new coil while I’m out today, tell Anzu it’s an easy fix.”

“Okay,” Yugi responded. Two degrees to his name and that was all the reply he could come up with.

“Don’t let me keep you up,” the man winked as he brushed past Yugi in the narrow hall.

 

* * *

 

“Your friend stopped by earlier,” Yugi commented around his mouthful of rice. They were perched at one of the many mismatched tables that had been crammed onto the back porch of the island sushi bar.

“Oh?” Anzu asked, momentarily confused as she took another bite of her own meal. They had just been to the beach, Yugi’s shorts still damp and his pale skin pinkened from the sun.

“Looked at the dryer,” Yugi explained, feigning a nonchalant interest in the subject while reaching for his drink.

“Atem came by?” she asked. Yugi wasn’t sure if he should add anything about the fact that the man had let himself in at some unholy hour and that he had been damn near naked at the time. “I’m glad,” Anzu continued as she picked up another roll. “Did he say what was wrong?”

Yugi shrugged. “A heating coil I think? He said he would be back tonight.”

Anzu seemed pleased with that response and they continued their dinner in an easy silence. Beyond their table the light rain that kept everything so lush came in gentle waves between the sunshine and an occasional cloud passing through. Out in the distance over the endless expanse of shrubbery and treetops Yugi could glimpse the bright blue body of water that separated them from the mainland. As beautiful as the view was, it was not the image that was nagging at him.

“Are all Hawaiians so…” Yugi began, not quite sure what he intended to communicate.

Anzu raised her eyebrows curiously as she set down her chopsticks. “Oh he’s not Hawaiian, just a local.” She smiled. “Egyptian I think. At least I met some of his cousins once and they were definitely from Egypt.”

“Egyptian in Hawaii?” Yugi asked.

Anzu shrugged. “I’ve never asked. He’s a great guy though, very handy. Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” Yugi responded a little too quickly as Anzu eyed him with a small smile. He returned to his sushi and she was gracious enough to let the subject drop. Yugi was relieved since his recent breakup was far too fresh to really enjoy that kind of talk no matter how hot the stranger in question was.

They strolled back through the village Anzu lived outside of, passing the short row of cafes and storefronts that dotted main street. Yugi breathed deeply, enjoying the humid air and the gentle breeze that was ever-present. The sun was setting slowly in the distance as it cast a brilliant array of colors into the sky. People waved and nodded to Anzu as they went by, Yugi catching glimpses of new flowers and colorful creatures everywhere he looked.

The two of them were halfway up the gravel lane that lead to Anzu’s house when the deep rumble of a large engine disturbed the tranquility of their walk. Yugi turned while the ground crunched behind them, a vintage black truck making its way up the drive. “That’ll be Atem,” Anzu smiled as she pushed her silver sunglasses up into her hair and waved. The truck came to a stop in front of the little blue duplex, a familiar man appearing out of the cab after the diesel engine cut off.

“What, are you going on a date?” Anzu called out as they approached. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a shirt with _buttons_.” Atem laughed as he flashed his bright smile. The stranger had covered himself in a much newer pair of jeans and a white shirt but Yugi found him still as annoyingly easy on the eyes as he had been before.

“A date with your inability to keep a basic appliance running,” Atem quipped while he twirled a long length of coiled wire around his index finger.

“See Yugi, I told you he’s a jerk,” Anzu sniffed playfully as she reached the steps. Yugi felt his face heat at the obvious lie while the Egyptian pouted.

Yugi followed the two of them up the stairs and into the apartment while their banter continued. They were clearly friends, and Anzu had good instincts. It didn’t take long for Atem to fix the issue with the dryer before he wandered into the kitchen where Yugi was half heartedly reading his book. Atem raided the fridge and chugged half a cola before Yugi glanced up and caught his eye.

“A little pink there,” Atem smiled around the rim of the bottle. Yugi blushed again under the attention.

“Yeah,” Yugi replied quietly while he folded his page over and closed the book. He poked gently at the sensitive skin on his cheeks. “Not used to the sun.”

“It’s cute,” Atem observed before he downed the rest of his drink, his long fingers wrapped around the neck of the glass. Yugi bit his lip as he glanced down at his hands. Atem chuckled while he set his empty glass down. They sat in silence for a few moments as snippets of Anzu’s phone call with her mother echoed in from down the hall.

“Do you want to get drunk?” Atem asked suddenly as he stopped drumming his fingers on the countertop.

“Excuse me?” Yugi asked in surprise as he glanced up.

“My neighbor’s having some kind of party right now,” Atem continued unperturbed as he checked the surprisingly expensive watch on his tanned wrist. “And—don’t take this the wrong way—but you look like you could use half a bucket of rum.”

 

* * *

 

Yugi giggled as he stumbled, Atem barely managing to keep them both upright in the sand. “ _I—_ ” Yugi slurred while he leaned on the Egyptian for support, “cannot believe you live down here.” They were only a few steps from the waterfront home Atem had brought them to, this one apparently owned by a rowdy blonde man who was currently entertaining Anzu and a few other women with his hazardous attempts at juggling on the deck.

“Just don’t get any closer,” Atem laughed as he steered them away from the water Yugi had been headed straight for. “I’m not even sure you can swim.”

“I can swim!” Yugi insisted in a drunken affront.

“You can prove it when you’re sober,” Atem promised while he lowered Yugi down into the sand next to the smoldering embers of a forgotten fire pit.

“I’m going to hate you in the morning,” Yugi groaned as he laid back on the beach to stare up at the stars.

“Sounds terrible,” Atem chuckled as he laid down next to Yugi and began to trail his fingertips through the sand.

“ _Shut up,_ ” Yugi muttered as he grinned.


	2. Art Student AU - Yugi/Atem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So Yugi had a little crush on a very hot and very talented graduate student, who didn’t? The man wore an actual leather collar half the time. It wasn’t like he’d ever even met the guy, his only interaction having consisted of catching a glimpse of him in passing here and there surrounded by his pack of friends. It certainly didn’t mean anything if Yugi carefully folded the article and stowed it away in his bag for safekeeping. He was a fine arts major, and Atem was well on his way to becoming a world-renowned mathematician. It was silly and pointless—but he indulged himself anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired by this post from dog-fish on Tumblr: http://dog-fish.tumblr.com/post/169750901605/art-college-au

“Yo!” Jounouchi called out, waving one of his large hands back and forth in front of Yugi’s face.

“Huh?” Yugi asked distractedly as he startled. He quickly folded the page over, shifting his arm to cover the headline that had held his attention.

“Don’t tell me you’re actually reading the campus newspaper,” Jounouchi groaned. “Nobody does that, Yugi.” The blonde shook his head, accidentally dislodging the wet paintbrush he had tucked haphazardly behind his own ear and cursing when he poked himself in the eye with his attempt to catch it. Yugi giggled at his friend whose responding scowl was greatly diminished by the large red streak that now ran through his unruly hair and across his cheek. Jounouchi stood with a huff, ambling off to the small washroom attached to the cluttered classroom.

When Yugi heard the water running, he adjusted the newsprint again. Two figures stared up at him from the article’s photo, hoisting a large trophy between them. The taller figure hadn’t abandoned his signature stoicism for the event, but the shorter man was smiling in triumph as the cameras flashed. The tiny caption printed beneath the photo read: _‘Seto Kaiba and Atem Sennen awarded the McKellan Grant for their significant contributions to University Mathematics and Engineering’_.

Yugi had read the article three times. He didn’t know how long he’d spent staring at the photo. Atem’s wild tri-colored hair was in its usual state of disarray, the type of mess that immediately made Yugi want to run his fingers through it in a hopeless attempt to straighten it out. He had left the first few buttons of his blue shirt undone, leaving the beautifully tanned skin of his chest exposed. If the whole numerical genius thing didn’t work out he could probably land a million dollar modeling contract. The skin tight leather pants alone did wicked things to Yugi’s libido.

So he had a little crush on a very hot and very talented graduate student, who didn’t? The man wore an actual leather collar half the time. It wasn’t like he’d ever even met the guy, his only interaction having consisted of catching a glimpse of him in passing here and there surrounded by his pack of friends. It certainly didn’t mean anything if Yugi carefully folded the article and stowed it away in his bag for safekeeping. He was a fine arts major, and Atem was well on his way to becoming a world-renowned mathematician. It was silly and pointless—but he indulged himself anyway.

“I hate acrylic,” Jounouchi muttered as he returned to the bench they were sharing in the deserted studio room to observe his half-finished painting of what was definitely either a dragon or a lizard. Yugi couldn’t deny that Jou’s technical skills could use a little work, but there wasn’t a student in the entire school who could match his talent with a spray can. Jounouchi’s shaggy hair hung half-wet as he shook his head to clear it out of his eyes. Yugi yelped as he was caught in the spray of droplets, covering his face with his hands.

“Not fair!” He whined as Jounouchi laughed. Yugi removed his hands when it was safe, glancing down at his own canvas he had almost forgotten. He was working on a series of magician themed paintings, though the heavily armoured figure staring back at him was quickly turning almost supernatural the more he worked with it. He wasn’t very good at the whole stick-to-reality thing.

Eventually, when the sun had started to set they called it a day and packed up their bags. Jounouchi was in his usual hurry to get to his night job, so they split when they reached the bottom of the stairs. “Bye Jou!” Yugi called as he waved off his friend who had already broken into a light jog.

Yugi spun back around again, smiling to himself while he made his way down towards the opposite end of the hall. As he walked he noticed he had somehow managed to acquire another large stain on his leggings, a dark purple streak across his thigh. He shrugged, not particularly worried about the well-worn spandex or the slightly too-large white shirt (if you could consider it still _‘white’_ underneath everything else) he wore as his favorite painting clothes.

He hummed to himself as he moved down the empty hall, always in a remarkably good mood after some studio time. He reached the exit with a spring in his step, jumping down the last few stairs and reaching out for the push plate of the door which gave way with ease. For the first few inches. Without warning a loud thud reverberated through the frame and the door bounced back at him, startling Yugi. It look half a second for his brain to make sense of what had just happened.

“Oh my gosh!” Yugi gasped, pushing the door back open. _He’d hit someone!_ “I’m so sor—” He stopped abruptly when the saw the unfortunate individual who had apparently landed on his ass on the other side of the heavy metal door. A very surprised looking—but familiar—figure was staring up at him from his recently acquired position on the concrete. What must have been the contents of his bag were strewn all over his lap and the landing, hefty books and graph paper with a few pencils thrown in. He seemed to have caught himself on his hands, though he looked a little dazed under the mess of his tri-colored hair.

_He’d hit Atem Sennen with a door._

“I’m so sorry!” Yugi croaked, feeling his face beginning to burn. He scrambled to help, though he wound up dropping his own bag in his haste. “I swear I didn't mean to! I didn’t know you were there!” He babbled, gathering up some of the heavy volumes with titles so long the text took up most of the cover space. He looked back at Atem, only to find that the young man was still watching him with a slightly out-of-focus expression. _I’ve given him brain damage_ , Yugi thought hysterically before his own barely functioning train of thought could stop itself.

“Are you okay?” Yugi asked, reaching out before stopping abruptly and pulling his hands back. Atem nodded this time, blinking rapidly. An unruly blonde bang had fallen in the man’s ridiculously handsome face, and Yugi desperately wanted to brush it back.

“I’m alright,” Atem said slowly as he pushed himself up. His voice was dangerously deep and heavy. Yugi moved to help him sit up but the man smiled and shifted, carefully pulling himself up to his feet by the railing. “Are you okay?” The man asked, his eyes trailing slowly over Yugi’s form and back up again. It almost seemed like genuine concern.

“Me?” Yugi asked, incredulously. He was positively mortified. “You could be hurt!” He stopped as the man’s amused expression derailed his thoughts once again.

“I’ll survive,” Atem told him as he slowly brushed some dirt off of the shoulder of his expensive looking jacket. Yugi didn’t want to know what the backside of him looked like. Well actually, he really did want to know what the backside of him looked like. But not like that. Kind of like that. He wondered if his face would ever recover from getting as hot as it was.

Yugi crouched and hurriedly shuffled the remainder of the man’s possessions into a small pile, cursing when he noticed some the contents of his own discarded bag had rolled onto the landing as well. He stood with another hasty apology and Atem accepted his crumpled possessions with gratitude, despite having been recently clobbered at Yugi’s hands.

“Is this… Physics II West?” The man asked after he had deposited the objects back into his bag.

“Uh, no,” Yugi told him. “Arts & Structures.” He turned around and gestured further up the road to a particularly tall and depressing looking concrete tower. He was used to students getting lost, since the Arts buildings were in some of the _vintage_ and slightly more abandoned sections of campus. “That’s the old physics building, I think.” Atem nodded slowly, tearing his eyes away from Yugi to glance in the direction he was pointing.

“Thanks,” the man smiled when he turned back and the expression was so sincere Yugi swore his heart missed a beat or two. For a moment it looked like the man wanted to say something else, but whatever the comment was it seemed to die on his tongue.

“No problem,” Yugi said quietly as Atem stepped off the landing and bid him goodbye with a polite nod.

Instead of following him, Yugi turned around on his heel and wrenched the door back open. He hurried into the nearest empty classroom, locking the door behind him. He slid to the floor, heart still pounding. He screwed his eyes shut tight as he tried to commit the scene to memory. Atem’s surprised face looking up at him from his less-than-dignified position on the concrete. _Oh God_ , Yugi thought desperately as he clapped his hands over his face and groaned. _The one time you meet the guy and you hit him with a door?_ His only opportunity in life to impress Atem Sennen and he’d practically assaulted him and then babbled on like an idiot.

Yugi needed to call Ryou… and maybe acquire more hard alcohol. It was going to take quite a bit more than what they had stashed in the freezer to drown out his embarrassment. Yugi began rooting around in his bag for his phone, his hand finally closing around the smooth object where it had sunk beneath a collection of random pencils and paintbrushes floating at the bottom. He really needed to clean the thing out. Once he got over the whole permanently scarring emotional trauma thing.

He pressed the wake button and blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Instead of the usual swirling abstract design, a photo of a large flowering lotus was plastered across the display. Yugi flipped the device over in confusion. “This isn’t my phone,” Yugi whispered to himself as the realization dawned on him and he turned it back to the front. A set of large numbers displayed the correct time, with two new message notifications below it. The older one was from someone named ‘Marik’ and was written in a language Yugi could only assume was Arabic based on the unfamiliar characters. The newest message had only come in a few minutes before:

 

**_Seto Kaiba - 6:01 PM_ **

**_You’re late._ **

 

* * *

 

“You’re late,” Seto announced.

Atem rolled his eyes while he closed the lab door behind him, careful not to put too much pressure on his newly scraped hand. “This building isn’t in rotation. It’s not even on a campus map,” he replied.

“I prefer to work in silence,” Seto said as his fingers flew across the keyboard at an inhuman speed. “I sent you the proof document,” the brunette continued without looking up from his laptop.

Atem frowned. He reached into the outer pocket of his bag and pulled out his phone. He pressed the wake button and stopped. Instead of the usual flowering lotus photo he had taken the last time he had visited his mother’s garden an abstract purple design swirled across the display. A set of large numbers displayed the correct time, but there were no messages. “This isn’t my phone,” Atem said as the realization dawned on him.

“What?” Seto asked abruptly, looking up from his screen as if he was expecting the smaller man to correct himself.

“This is not my phone,” Atem repeated. He flipped the device over, and his suspicions were confirmed. A brightly colored smudge of dried paint obscured the polished metal. Seto removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose in apparent exasperation.

“I’m not even going to ask,” he sighed. It didn’t matter because Atem was ignoring him now. The Egyptian was smiling, turning the phone over in his hand as the implications dawned on him. Implications that involved a very attractive painter with bright eyes and full pink lips, wrapped in a downright sinful pair of leggings to match. Seto’s fingers momentarily ceased their flight across his keyboard as Atem snatched the brunette’s phone up off the table and began scrolling through contacts. Atem held the phone up to his ear as it began to ring.

“Hey, aren’t you doing something nefarious with an art student?” Atem began as soon as the other line picked up.

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _(It’s Bakura on the other end of the line and he’s doing Ryou)_

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me here on Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/wildcranberry


End file.
